Future of Music Summit 2013 a Rousing Success

The 2013 Future of Music Summit has come to a close. If you weren’t able to attend or watch our webcast, don’t worry; we’ll have video of all mainstage programming at the event available soon.

We’re so grateful to all the amazing presenters and speakers who helped fuel the event with smart and innovative thinking, a diverse range of viewpoints and plenty of lively debate. And we’re thankful to our hosts at Georgetown University, IOTA, The Hamilton, and Gibson Guitar Showroom, as well as our amazing staff, volunteers, sponsors, and partners whose efforts made the whole event possible.

There was so much excitement packed into our two days of programming that it’s hard to pick out highlights, but journalist Greg Kot has obligingly offered his impressions of Day 1 and Day 2 at the Chicago Tribune. From our opening with Jean Cook’s presentation of our latest Artist Revenue Streams research, to our closing panel which featured NPR Music’s Bob Boilen interviewing artists Dessa, Matana Roberts, Nicole Atkins, Paul Janeway, and Alec Ounsworth, it was clear that while musicians may not agree on everything, they have a lot to teach us, and their voices must continue to be heard here in Washington and beyond.

In our first ever Future of Music Honors event on Monday night, we recognized longtime colleagues and champions Ann Chaitovitz, Trish Polach, Hal Ponder and John Simson. Rep. Bruce Terry was also on hand to accept an award on behalf of himself and Rep Mike Doyle and Senators McCain and Cantwell, the bipartisan coalition of policymakers who pushed for the passage of the Low Power FM bill. And legendary MC5 guitarist Wayne Kramer received for his work with Jail Guitar Doors, and even performed a solo acoustic version of The Clash’s B-Side that gave the charity its name, and soon an all-star band took the stage to perform in support and celebration of Wayne’s work.

And as always, we’d like to extend a special thanks to all of you in the community of musicians, fans, managers, technologists, policymakers who. Your participation — in person and online — is what makes our events worthwhile. If you enjoyed what you heard, or learned something new, please consider making a contribution to Future of Music Coalition.

Because as Wayne Kramer said on Tuesday morning in a panel on the global sound of social change, “Music connects you back with your humanity…Only art can bring about a fundamental change in your perspective on the world.”